WHO pausing the hydroxycholoroquine arm of its global COVID-19 drug trials.

The World Health Organization (WHO) is pausing the hydroxycholoroquine arm of its global COVID-19 drug trials after a review found the malaria therapy was associated with raised death rates and heart problems.The WHO’s decision follows a retrospective analysis of trials in 671 patients worldwide taking hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine, used alone or with a macrolide antibiotic (azithromycin, doxycycline) in hospital for COVID-19.

The observational research published in The Lancet concluded that the drug regimens were associated with decreased in-hospital survival and an increased frequency of ventricular arrhythmias when used for treatment of COVID-19.